Alexandria Celebrates 'Best in Business'

The Chamber ALX presented an evening celebrating winners of the 2025 Best in Business awards.

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Business

Members of Alexandria's business community gathered Thursday night at the Westin Alexandria Old Town for an evening full of delightful surprises — from heartfelt thanks at the podium, to a new "micro business" award category not to mention a drone zinging over the audience to deliver those all-important envelopes to the podium, with winners' names inside.

The drone delivery was a nod to the evening's "techy" top honorees of the evening, the 2025 Business Leader of the Year Virginia Tech DC Area Launch Team.

Former Alexandria Mayor Justin Wilson introduced Virginia Tech's Lance Collins, who accepted the honor for the team.

"All around the world, innovation is driven by higher education," Wilson noted. "And we've got one of the best institutes of higher education on the planet expanding their presence in the city of Alexandria. We celebrate the significant impact Virginia Tech has had on our city and that they have become part of our community."

Accepting the award, Collins said that "...we get academic awards, but to be recognized in terms of your business acumen as an academic institution, that doesn't happen every day."

Another top honor of the evening was the Overall Business of the Year, Community Lodgings, chosen from 51 nominees. Community Lodgings, a non-profit organization, was founded in 1987 by Alexandria churches to address family homelessness and provide affordable housing. It has since expanded its operations in the Arlandria-Chirilagua neighborhood by purchasing multiple apartment buildings to offer both transitional and affordable housing, alongside educational programs for adults and children.

Chamber Board Chair LaJuanna Russell, president and CEO of Business Management Associates, emceed the evening, planned by the Alexandria Chamber of Commerce. The event was presented by Burke & Herbert Bank and other sponsors.

Other winners Thursday night:

Micro-Business of the Year: Aptivate Educational & Psychological Solutions  

Aptivate Educational and Psychological Solutions, LLC is a full-service company offering a one-stop shop to support the academic, social-emotional, and behavioral needs of youth through assessment and evaluation, intervention and treatment, instruction and guidance, and consultation, counseling, and collaboration. Similar to the school psychology background of the company’s founder, Dr. Amber Mason, Aptivate will provide services that span across two fields vital to youth development: education and psychology.

Small Business of the Year: Family First Law Group

The attorneys of Family First Law Group have been practicing in the Northern Virginia area, including Alexandria, Fairfax, Arlington, Loudoun and Prince William for several decades. They founded the Family First Law Group in 2020 to focus on personal service to individuals, families and their businesses. Their attorneys have a commitment to their clients and to their community. They help build the foundation of a strong community by assisting the families and businesses in their community with their diverse needs.

Medium Business of the Year: Alexandria Children's Dentistry

Alexandria Children's Dentistry is a leading pediatric practice with two Alexandria locations dedicated to providing warm personalized care in a joyful child-centered environment. Since 2011, the team has grown from four to 27 professionals serving infants, children, teens and individuals with special needs. Every board-certified doctor delivers preventative and advanced care with compassion and expertise.

Large Business of the Year: Hotel AKA Alexandria

Hotel AKA Alexandria has become a cornerstone of Alexandria's hospitality scene and is rated #1 on TripAdvisor among local hotels. With a team of 77 hospitality professionals, the hotel offers exceptional service, curated art displays, seasonal craft cocktails at the a.lounge+bar and unique events such as wellness sessions and Silent Reading Parties in collaboration with local businesses.

Rising Star Business of the Year: Cornerstone Craftsman Inc.

In 2021, Executive Director Roberto Gomez, recognizing a pressing need, began operating and self-funding an informal pre-apprentice program during the summer and on weekends. He started working with and training five unde

rvalued young men along with support for their families. To date, Cornerstone has served 44 youth, with 28 active, year-round pre-apprentices, and an ever-growing waitlist currently sits at 26 youth. Roberto Gomez is passionate about giving disenfranchised youth the tools to realize their value at a young age, allowing them to become confident and productive citizens.

Non-Profit Association of the Year: Alexandria Soccer Association

Alexandria Soccer Association delivers year-round soccer and futsal programming for ages 2 through adult, serving

years, ASA has championed access and equity, providing financial aid, free school-based programs and safe inclusive play spaces through initiatives like Access4All.  Beyond athletics, ASA develops leadership, mentors youth as camp counselors and hosts signature events.

After the award ceremony, attendees gathered in the reception area to try delicious bite-sized delicacies from 16 of Alexandria's restaurants.

The participating restaurants were:

  • Bastille, BeeLiner Diner, Buzz Bakery, Daniel O’Connell’s Irish Bar & Restaurant, Dishes of India, Hank’s Pasta Bar, Hard Times Cafe, Hi-Fi Tex Mex, Jet’s Pizza, Pork Barrel BBQ, Tequila & Taco, Trademark, The Royal, Vermilion, Wegmans Carlyle, Whiskey & Oyster

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